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What treatment is right for my dog?
When you find out that your dog has cancer, one of the first decisions you will need to make is whether or not to treat
the cancer, and then deciding which treatment method to use. In most cases, surgery, chemotherapy or radiation will be recommended, depending on your dog’s type of cancer. Often,
a combination of these approaches will offer your dog the best chance of cure or long remission. How you
decide to treat your dog’s cancer is ultimately a very personal decision, and one which needs to be based on your dog’s
type of cancer, their age, their personality, the treatment protocol that would be used, your individual philosophies, and
unfortunately, the time and money that it would take to pursue treatment.
For example, if
your dog is 14 years old and has a very aggressive form of cancer, it may be more loving to choose dietary changes or holistic
supplements to manage your dog’s symptoms and make them comfortable than to pursue surgery or chemotherapy.
Or, you may realize that taking your dog in for radiation therapy two days a week for several weeks would be more damaging
to their spirit than any potential benefit it may bring. Educate yourself about the potential benefits
of any treatment, be honest about what you are willing to commit to, and most importantly, ask yourself if this is really
in the best interest of your dog, knowing her better than anyone else in the world.
This is an
area where there are absolutely no right or wrong decisions. Listen to your heart, evaluate your specific
situation, and go from there.
How do I find a Veternary Oncologist or other cancer specialist?
Because cancer is such a complex disease and new options for cancer treatments are always being investigated by researchers,
Georgia's Legacy strongly recommends working with a veterinary cancer specialist if possible, especially in the early
stages of treatment to help identify the right approach for your dog's cancer. Often a Veterinary Oncologist can
work with your primary care physician or an Internal Medicine specialist via phone or email to consult with them on treatment
plans. To locate a veterinary specialist in your area, visit the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine website and click on Search for a Specialist.How much will treatment cost?
Cost will vary according to the type of
treatment required, the type of cancer they have, the number of extra tests that need to be conducted and your particular
vet’s fee schedule. Even the size of your dog can be a factor in cost, as the bigger the dog, the more drugs
that need to be administered for chemotherapy or other procedures. But, generally speaking, you should be prepared
to spend several thousand dollars in the course of your dog’s treatment. If you have pet insurance, they
will likely reimburse you for some of the costs of treatment. Your vet clinic may also offer a payment plan program
such as Care Credit, which can help to spread out the costs and make them more manageable for you and your family.
An additional thing
to remember when chemotherapy is being administered, is that although it is expensive over the course of treatment, you do
pay per appointment, not in a lump sum, this amount is spread out over several months.
Why has my dog lost weight since being diagnosed with cancer?
Two
types of weight
loss are common in cancer pups
— anorexia and cachexia.
Anorexia can occur when your dog loses interest in food, generally
because they don’t feel well, or are nauseous. In these cases, it’s important to find something
that your dog is willing to eat, which can sometimes take a little coaxing and creativity. If tempting
your dog with some of her favorite foods is not enough to do the trick, you may want to consider providing something that
is very bland, such as baby food. If that is still too much for your dog to handle, try giving her a frozen
meal. Frozen food doesn’t have the same odor and flavor as unfrozen food does, so it can be easier
to tolerate than regular food if your dog is feeling nauseous. Frozen Hill’s n/d canned food is a
great choice, or even frozen fish, such as smelt, can be a good meal. Ultimately, if your dog becomes fussy
about eating though to the point that they are consistently losing weight, it’s more important to get them to eat than
to stay on a strict diet.
Cancer cachexia is a different type
of weight loss, and the reason that cancer is often called a “wasting disease”. Cachexia occurs
when the body is taking in enough calories, but it’s not able to absorb nutrients properly and so the dog becomes weak
as it begins losing fat and muscle mass. If your dog starts to lose weight because of cachexia, you may
want to try adding digestive enzymes to their food, such as Prozyme. These enzymes will help your dog’s
body to absorb the nutrients in their food more easily, helping them to maintain or gain weight more easily. A
pre-digested fish protein called Seacure was also very helpful for Georgia, helping to add protein and calories that could
be easily absorbed without having to increase the volume of food.
Whether the cause
is anorexia, cachexia or a combination of both, it’s important to monitor your dog’s weight regularly and to notify
your vet if your dog starts to lose weight on a consistent basis.
What does remission mean?
Remission does NOT mean that the cancer
is gone. It simply means that all clinical signs of the cancer are gone. In the case
of lymphoma, your dog has achieved complete remission when the vet can no longer find any enlarged lymph nodes in their body.
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